Promoting the role of libraries serving the open education model contributes to building a lifelong learning society in the digital age.

According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Nhan - Director of the Open University Library, in the digital age, the concept of open education is increasingly popular, emphasizing flexible, personalized learning, without limits of space and time. In that model, the library not only plays the role of a place to store and provide knowledge, but also a modern learning center, effectively supporting the development of the open education model.

The Director of the Open University Library said that today's libraries actively deploy digital resource services, build open science repositories, develop online learning platforms, creating favorable conditions for all subjects in society to access knowledge in a fair, flexible and continuous manner.

By connecting learners with high-quality learning resources, libraries contribute to promoting lifelong learning, a key factor in building a learning society. At the same time, libraries also play an important role in improving information literacy and digital skills for the community, thereby helping people adapt quickly to changes in the digital age.

Developing an open education model with the active participation of libraries is a practical direction, in line with modern educational trends, contributing to building a comprehensive and sustainable knowledge society.

Bookshelf of Faculty of Economics Open University Library

According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Nhan, digital transformation in education is a major policy of the Party and State, which has been expressed in documents such as: Conclusion No. 91-KL/TW, dated August 12, 2024 of the Politburo on continuing to implement Resolution No. 29-NQ/TW, dated November 4, 2013 of the 11th Party Central Committee "On fundamental and comprehensive innovation of education and training, meeting the requirements of industrialization and modernization in the conditions of a socialist-oriented market economy and international integration".

In the digital age, when information technology is developing strongly and online learning is becoming more and more popular, libraries play a key role in supporting and promoting open education. Libraries are not only a place to provide learning resources but also an indispensable part of the modern educational ecosystem.

With the ability to digitize documents, build open educational resources (OER) and provide a remote access platform, the library creates conditions for learners to access knowledge flexibly, without limitations of space and time.

In addition, the library also contributes to the development of self-study skills, information search and evaluation skills, core competencies in the open education model. The library also plays a role in guiding and supporting personalized learning, suitable for the individual abilities and needs of each learner. In the context of a learning society and lifelong learning being promoted, the library becomes a bridge of knowledge, ensuring fairness in access to education for all classes of people, especially those in difficult circumstances or in remote areas.

Thus, the library is not only a resource to support teaching but also a strategic factor in the successful implementation of the open education model, contributing to improving people's knowledge and developing a sustainable society in the digital age.

The library is a center for storing, organizing and distributing open learning resources such as textbooks, lectures, videos , and reference materials with open copyright, contributing to reducing learning costs and increasing access to knowledge for all subjects, especially in remote areas.

The library provides a diverse and flexible learning environment, both in-person and online, enabling learners to study anytime, anywhere in the spirit of "learning anytime, anywhere" of open education, serving not only students in the school, but also independent learners, distance learners, and non-formal learnersq2.

The library organizes training programs for skills in searching, evaluating, using and citing academic information, the foundation of independent learning, contributing to improving self-study and research capacity and protecting learners from fake news and misinformation.

The library builds digital libraries, electronic learning resource repositories, and online information portals, helping learners access resources without being limited by space and time, integrating with learning management systems (LMS), digital libraries, and learning support tools such as citation software and document management tools.

The library is a place to connect lecturers, students, and the learning community through activities such as seminars, workshops, and academic forums; collaborate and share resources with other libraries, creating an open knowledge network.

Libraries remove barriers of cost, location, and time for learners through open resources and remote access; Libraries become support centers for disadvantaged learners, non-formal learners, or those who do not have the conditions to attend traditional training programs.

In the open education model, the library is not only a place to store knowledge, provide and connect rich, diverse and accessible learning resources, but also a center to support learning, creativity and equitable access to knowledge, playing a key role in the transformation from the traditional education model to a flexible, personalized and lifelong learning model.

According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Nhan, to promote the role of libraries serving the open education model and contributing to building a lifelong learning society in the digital age, there are some following solutions:

One is to develop open learning resources such as building and sharing textbooks, lectures, exercises, videos, and learning materials with open copyright, participating and linking with international open learning resource repositories (OER Commons, MERLOT, MIT OCW...). Support lecturers in digitizing and attaching CreativeCommons licenses to documents.

Second is digital library transformation: Digitizing printed documents (textbooks, internal documents, books, articles...), integrated digital library management software serving online and flexible learning models.

Third is to develop information skills for learners: Organize classes on skills of searching for academic information, citing, using open learning materials; Design instructional materials, videos, online courses for students to self-study these skills; Cooperate with lecturers to integrate information skills into the subject.

Fourth is to expand access and sharing of inter-library resources such as connecting with inter-library library associations of Northern and Southern universities...; Participate in shared databases to reduce costs; Develop a policy for sharing resources between domestic and foreign schools.

The fifth is to develop a flexible learning space: Redesign the library into an open space, combined learning (group study rooms, multimedia, discussion areas); Provide learning tools (computers, academic software, strong wifi, projection equipment); Have academic support staff, direct technical support for students.

Sixth is to innovate library services towards personalization such as providing personalized information consulting services; Applying AI/recommending learning materials according to interests/fields of study; Regularly feedback and survey user needs to improve services.

Source: https://bvhttdl.gov.vn/phat-huy-vai-tro-cua-thu-vien-phuc-vu-mo-hinh-giao-duc-mo-gop-phan-xay-dung-xa-hoi-hoc-tap-suot-doi-trong-ky-nguyen-so-20251011115509137.htm